The synthesis of purines via the dehydration and condensation of formamide is a potential abiotic source of nucleobases. The mechanistic pathway has been assumed to follow two distinct routes depending on the final oxidation state of the purine product; adenine synthesis has been thought to progress through an aminocyanoimidazole intermediate, and purine through a diiminopyrimidine intermediate. Herein, data is presented suggesting that both of these mechanisms are incomplete descriptions of the mechanistic pathways of these classical reactions in formamide. An alternative pathways consistent with current and new data are proposed, with aspects that are reminiscent of modern biosynthesis of purine nucleobases.

Abiotic adenine and purine synthesis: A unified mechanism

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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